


To Shut My Eyes And Play Along

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Agents of Flirting O'Clock, Arguing, Carnival trope, Coulson thinks Skye is amazing, Coulson's trust issues, F/M, Fighting, Flirting, Food, Fun!, Games, Grouchy Coulson, Humor, Implied makeouts, May is Skye's SO and they talk about Phil, New Phil, New SHIELD, Old Phil, Old SHIELD, Phil always listens to Skye, Rising Tide mention, Romance, Sarcasm, Shipscuses, Silly, Skye loves Coulson, Skye putting up with Coulson, Teasing, laughing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 15:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2029665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye uses Coulson's implicit trust in her to talk him into taking a break from work. Starts out kind of serious and then I just went straight for corny. </p><p>Title is from Natalie Merchant's song "Carnival".</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Shut My Eyes And Play Along

"We keep turning over stones and find nothing but snakes and scorpions," he said with frustration.

He was having a hard day. Expressing his doubts about being Director of SHIELD. 

"We know what to do with those," Skye replied evenly. "It's enough just exposing these people, their operations."

"I'm worried about our resources," he continued, and put his fingers against the bandage on her neck. "I'm worried about this."

"May's my S.O.," she said, flatly. "Take it up with her."

"Melinda's doing a fine job, and so is Simmons, patching everyone up. But eventually, it's not going to be good enough."

"I know," Skye said, pushing his hand away. "SHIELD started from nothing, once. It wasn't the organization you joined overnight."

"Stark funded it," he said, shaking his head at her. "We don't have access to those kind of resources or technology."

"But we do have people like Peggy Carter," she replied. "We have the grandson of a Howling Commando, for pete's sake. And we're building that kind of technology, slowly but surely. And as for resources, let me contact the Rising Tide."

Coulson started walking away from her then, retreating for the safety of his desk.

She followed. "They can get us a money trail on these HYDRA people's bank accounts. I don't feel bad about using their funds to put them away for good. To help the people whose lives they've ruined."

"No," he said, sitting.

"Why not?" she asked with frustration, planting her hands on his desk. 

"I don't trust them."

"Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly," he said, flashing his eyes at her and then looking away. "You're...the only one I trust."

"Then, let me help you. Trust me."

"You think the Rising Tide is a good idea?"

"They won't even know it's us. Super Spy and Hactivist, remember?"

He hadn't considered that. Leaning back in his chair he relaxed a little, crossed his hands in front of him.

Skye always managed to find ways to surprise him.

"Just think about it, but, that's really not my point," she said, coming around the desk to where he was, leaning back against it.

He watched the invasion of his space with irritated curiosity.

"You need to step away from this for a few days," she said quietly. "May and I talked, and we agree..."

Coulson stood up, annoyed. "I don't like being monitored," he said tersely.

"This isn't monitoring, this is your friends telling you that you're showing signs of..."

"Signs of what?" he asked, getting in her space. "Breaking down? Do I need 'fixing', Skye?"

"This isn't like that," she said, a little surprised at his forcefulness. 

"Simmons is here to keep me stapled together, and Fitz is here to reprogram me, and May is here to watch me or put me down, right?"

"Stop being such a robot toolbag!" she yelled.

"What are you here for, Skye?"

"You sucked me into this. Make sure you get that part right," she had pushed a finger into his chest.

"You can get out whenever you want," he said, clenching his jaw.

"Stop being a coward."

That got all of his attention. "What?!"

"Let me in," she said finally, after hesitating.

"I did let you in," he said, nodding his head. "Maybe too far."

"Guess so." She shrugged and turned to walk away from him.

"Don't," he said. He grabbed her arm, and she tried to jerk it away. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to do this."

"You'll lose your perspective, if you keep going this way. I thought you liked how we were different."

"I do," he said, he let go of her arm, hugged her instead. "I don't know how to not be an agent. To not be SHIELD."

"You're more than just this," she said, slipping her fingers under the lapel of his jacket and giving it a little tug.

"A lot more."

****

"So, this is how you inspire me to save humanity?" he said. "A carnival."

"Yes," she replied.

He just stared at the landscape before them, very dubious. It was like the worst carnival, ever, had rolled into the worst town, ever.

"Why not the opera, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art?" he asked.

"This is ordinary. This is what ordinary people do. Not SHIELD-y people with government sponsored bank accounts and a sense of entitlement."

"Ouch," he said, glancing at her.

They walked up to the ticket booth. Coulson got out his wallet as he stared around.

"Nope, put that away," Skye said. "My treat."

He looked hesitant.

"It's a defense," Skye said, "If you hate everything, I won't feel guilty about it."

"I don't hate everything," he started. "Just some things," he said, eyeing the portable toilets. "But, I do think we're the only adults here." 

He watched a gaggle of teenagers pass by. "Unless you count the carnie workers."

Skye thanked the booth worker and took the tickets, handed half of them to Coulson.

"Let's see what you got, A.C."

He took them from her and smirked at the challenge. She hadn't called him by his nickname in a long time.

"Hope May kept your trigger finger busy. I'm a pretty good shot."

"And so humble," she said, as they walked beneath the entrance gate.

"Fried butter?" Coulson asked, looking at a stand in passing. "Really?"

"You will not find one gourmet, unfried, healthy food thing here, sir," she said grinning. "Just the way I like it."

"Been to these a lot?" he asked.

"Sure, it was a cheap date night back in the day."

"Charming," he said. 

"What about you?"

"Nah, I guess, the closest thing would be the Fourth of July parade. My mom was always off, the fireworks were free. Sometimes, they gave out snowcones."

Skye was picturing an eight-year-old Phillip Coulson turning up his nose at a snowcone.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Did you actually eat a snowcone?"

"Yes, I ate it," he said. "Do you think I'm an alien or something?"

Skye raised her eyebrows.

"Poor choice of words. Do you know any kid that would reject a snowcone?"

"Well, I thought I might, but, thank you for clearing that up. Omigosh funnel cakes!" 

Coulson watched her eyes light up.

"We have to have one of these."

"Leave me out of it," he said as she dragged him by the arm over to the stand.

Skye leaned forward and put in her order.

"Just one," she said, looking at the man behind the window. "Don't worry, I'll make him eat it, and then he'll want his own."

"I'm going to get one of the worst beers of my life," he said to her, thumbing at some stands over his shoulder. "I'll be right back."

She watched him walk away, thinking how seeing Coulson in a t-shirt and jeans had done wonders for her opinion of him. And she was right, he was definitely more than the suit. He looked a lot less like her boss, or even Director of anything, and mostly like a really hot older guy with pretty incredible arms. 

Funnel cake now in hand, she walked away to see if she could find him and saw him in the front of the line outside of the beer stand. He turned towards her, beer in hand. Took a sip.

"How is it?" she asked.

"Sucks," he said. Skye rolled her eyes. "What? I'm being honest."

"You're still going to drink it, though, aren't you?"

"Yeah, probably several," he answered.

He eyed her funnel cake as she smiled at him.

"Curious, aren't you?"

"Not really," he said.

"Do you want some?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Alright, I'll try it," he said grumpily.

She balanced the plate while he tore off a piece and shoved it in his mouth.

"Mmm," he said, giving a big closed-mouth grin. "Fried dough with powdered sugar. It's like being in the Sistine Chapel. Same exact feeling."

"Fine," she said, turning her back to him and starting towards the games. 

He came along side her, tried to reach down to the plate with his free hand. 

"Get back!" she said, laughing, and jabbed at him with her elbow. 

"The faster you share, the faster we can get on with me winning."

****

"Bang!" Skye said, as she hit the last target with the water gun. The siren lights came on and the man came over to her.

Coulson rolled his eyes.

"Pick one out from the top," he said to her, as she glanced across the row of horrible stuffed things. "What are you guys? Cops or something?"

"Do we look like cops to you?" asked Coulson.

"You sure do," said the man with a drawl, leaning on the counter.

"I'm not a cop," he said, staring back at him.

"That one," Skye said, pointing up.

The carnie did as she asked and reached for the toy.

"I won," Skye said to Coulson.

"Yes, I know. The flashing lights tipped me off."

"Are you miserable about it, though?" she asked, teasing.

"It's fine. 'Cause we're not done."

"I have just the thing to cheer you up," she said, holding back a laugh as the carnie handed her a large plush Captain America.

"Hysterical," Coulson said as he handed his beer over to her and he grabbed it from her, putting it under his arm.

"Even when I win, you benefit," she said.

Coulson stared down at it. "Doesn't even look like him."

"Well, you would certainly know."

"I think I'm warming up to humanity," Coulson said, as he dodged a bunch of boys trying to squirt ketchup packets on each other.

"Good," she said. 

"Basketball game," he said cheerfully, seeing the word pop out from the sign across the way.

"I'm not any good," she said.

"Perfect!" 

They sidled up to the empty lane. Next to them were a teenage boy and girl that probably intended on playing the game, but were making out instead.

"Guess he won," Coulson said.

"Make this happen," Skye said, leaning back against the lane. "So, you shoot hoops, huh?"

"Played in high school," he said. "I was point guard."

"Sounds about right," she said.

"You like basketball?" he asked as the balls rolled forward.

"I like basketball players," she said, grinning.

Coulson kept his focus and made his shots.

Skye realized this was a perfect vantage point to check out his arms without any distractions. Other than his arms.

"Hey, I won something," he said, pleased and just a little out of breath.

The two kids next to them stopped making out for a second to look at him.

"And that's how you play the game," he said.

"Coulson," Skye said, shoving at him.

He handed over the stuffed banana with the dreadlocks to her, his arms landing on either side of her. 

"Now. One more game. Tie breaker. Winner takes all."

"Winner gets to choose the rides," Skye said, tucking away her banana to stick her hand out between them. "Deal?"

"Deal," he said, shaking it.

****

"Is there some kind of point to this?" he shouted as they spun repetitively in circles making him feel dizzy. Maybe he was too old?

Skye just looked at him and tried to laugh, but now that he thought about it, she looked a little green, too.

The ride stopped and they helped each other off.

"These rides are all designed to make you throw up, right?" he asked.

"Or makeout," she said, catching her breath.

"We could play another game," he offered.

"No, I think it's fitting that we tied in the end. Whatever would you do with two Captain Americas?"

"Whatever. How about something disgusting, like the apples completely coated with the Red dye 40?"

"I see you've embraced the dark side, Coulson. But, what do you say to the Haunted Mansion?" she said, turning away revealing the building covered in the blacklight paint behind them.

"That's a makeout ride," he said bluntly.

"Things just jump out and scare you. And there's no spinning involved. You already killed the Ferris wheel."

"Ferris wheels are boring, Skye." 

"You can't sit in a ride in the dark with me without having to make out?"

"What?! No, I'm not saying that."

"So, is that a yes? If you agree, then, don't say anything."

"Let's just go do the damn ride."

They dragged their toys after them and stood in front of the lime green graffitied building, blacklit with ghosts and goblins all over it, handing over the rest of their tickets to the worker.

"Can we even fit in that?" Coulson asked staring down at the tiny car.

Skye just laughed at him and got in, putting her banana in the car behind them.

"Do I act scared?" he asked, as they passed into the building. "What's the protocol?"

"There isn't one," she replied trying to look at him in the low light. "Coulson!" she shrieked, looking on his left.

"What?!" he yelled turning and looking back when he realized there was nothing there.

Skye covered her mouth laughing.

"Uncalled for," he said, feeling his heart race a little. "Totally..."

They turned the corner and something dropped down from above on their heads.

Skye screamed, he yelled, they both started laughing.

"Okay, that was good," he said. "I'll admit."

She loosened her grip on his arm a little, trying to carefully unimagine that she'd just manhandled the front of his t-shirt.

"Sorry," she said, flushed, jumping a little when something popped out with a hiss and rattled nearby.

That's when she realized, he'd really had an armful of Skye and his hand had made its way to her waist.

"You were right," she said apologetically. "This is a makeout ride."

"Pretty sure."

"Hey, we're almost to the end, and you didn't make out with me. Well done."

"Skye."

****

It was late and they were walking down the dimmed hall towards their quarters in the Playground.

Skye yawned.

"So, do you like carnivals now?"

"No."

"But you liked the funnel cake. Just admit it."

"Not really."

"Did you like that I brought Captain America to you?"

"Maybe. I'll think it over."

"Was there anything about today that you did like?"

"Yeah," he said, stopping in front of her door.

"Might I perhaps know what that is?"

"All the parts with you in it."

"No, I mean really," she said, looking away from him down at the floor.

"Really," he replied, putting one arm against the door frame, leaning in.

She followed his arm with a glance and tilted her head.

"Had your chance back there, Charm School," she teased.

"In the Monster Mansion thingee?"

"Yeah."

"No chance. That's no place for a girl like you to be kissed."

Her eyebrows went up. "What kind of place do you have in mind? For a girl like me?"

"Not sure," he said, reaching behind her to turn the latch on her door. 

"Want to see if we can find one?"


End file.
